GENERAL RESOURCES

SMALL BUSINESS The Small Business Accelerator allows you to search across, and link into
ACCELERATOR relevant sources of industry-specific business information. The information on
this website includes secondary market research sources, education, and
sbbc.co/smallbusinessaccelerator
business support services for BC business owners and entrepreneurs.

BC STATS BC Stats is the central statistical agency of British Columbia. They have the
largest collection of BC based statistical products, services, and expertise.
sbbc.co/statsbc

STATISTICS CANADA Statistics Canada publishes a wide variety of information on economic and
social conditions in Canada.
sbbc.co/statisticscanada

INDUSTRY CANADA Industry Canadas website is a comprehensive source of Canadian market and
business information. There are several hundred thousand documents
sbbc.co/industrycanadastats
available.
VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY If you have a Vancouver Public Library card, you have access from home to
SYSTEM VPL's Electronic Resources where you can access periodical databases
(CBCA, Canadian Newstand), an association listing (Community
sbbc.co/vanpublibrary
Organizational Database), and more.
CIVICINFO BC CivicInfo BC offers a comprehensive list of British Columbia towns, cities, and
regional districts. Provides links to contact information and, if available,
sbbc.co/civicinfobc
community web pages.

GOVERNMENT OF BRITISH A comprehensive list of B.C. Government organizations.

COLUMBIA LINKS
sbbc.co/bcministries

GOVERNMENT OF CANADA Government of Canada institutions are listed in alphabetical order with
corresponding web addresses.
sbbc.co/govtdepts

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Small Business BC | Tel: 604-775-5525 | 1-800-667-2272 | Email: askus@smallbusinessbc.ca | Web: smallbusinessbc.ca

03/2016
DEMOGRAPHICS
CENSUS DATA A census is a survey of the entire population instead of just a sample.
Canadas Census provides information on a variety of characteristics including
STATISTICS CANADA
Age, Sex, Commuters, Earnings, Ethnicity, Religion, Marital Status. Vital
2006: sbbc.co/2006censuscan information for locating a target market.
2011: sbbc.co/2011censuscan

POPULATION ESTIMATES There are a several population concepts that are important to understand when
completing a business plan. There are estimates which are current (annual),
BC STATS
compared to census (every 5 years), and are derived from hydro connections,
sbbc.co/bcpopest old age security cheques, and school enrolments. These are not population
counts like a census, but rather estimates of the size of the population with
some error.

POPULATION PROJECTIONS The second concept is a population projection. These are estimates of future
populations based on historical growth trends, births, deaths, and migration.
BC STATS
Projections may have a higher degree of error than population estimates and
sbbc.co/popprojection are available based on Health Areas. These areas have been created for the
delivery of health services but they can be used to gauge population demands
of your target market.

IMMIGRATION & MIGRATION A third population concept important for a business plan is the immigration that
can influence a target market. Countries that provide changing populations
REPORTS
may impact your target area for language, education, skills, and spending
BC STATS habits. Information on immigration can be found on the website.
sbbc.co/bcimmigration

SPENDING PATTERNS
AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD What does the average household spend in a year? Other family expenditures
EXPENDITURES include, among others, Food, Shelter, Household Operation, Clothing,
Transportation, and Education. You can calculate a crude projected increase in
STATS CAN
the amount spent on your product.
sbbc.co/householdspend

AVERAGE WEEKLY FOOD What does the average household in Vancouver spend on seafood each
EXPENDITURES week? How does this compare to the Canadian average? You can find this out
on the Stats Can website.
STATS CAN

sbbc.co/foodexpenditure

TRADE DATA ONLINE Did imports of bicycles into Canada increase significantly over the last five
INDUSTRY CANADA
years? Import/export data reflects changing consumer patterns.

sbbc.co/tradedataonline

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Small Business BC | Tel: 604-775-5525 | 1-800-667-2272 | Email: askus@smallbusinessbc.ca | Web: smallbusinessbc.ca

03/2016
INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE With Small Business Profiles, you can estimate expenses for hundreds of
DATA different kinds businesses. The data provides performance benchmarks for the
financial planning of start-up and established small and medium sized
INDUSTRY CANADA
businesses.
sbbc.co/ICbenchmark
BUSINESS INFORMATION BY Business information is listed by industrial category. A comprehensive, A to Z
listing of industry reports.
SECTOR
INDUSTRY CANADA

sbbc.co/industrystats

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND Economic Analysis and Statistics provides you with newsletters and analysis of
economic topics, including trade, investment, and indicators of the Canadian
STATISTICS
economy.
INDUSTRY CANADA

sbbc.co/econanalysis

ECONOMIC REPORTS
BMO: ECONOMIC RESEARCH This site houses many reports covering Canadian, U.S. and international
issues. Included are daily, weekly and monthly reviews, economic indicators
sbbc.co/bmopubs and exchange rates.

CIBC: ECONOMICS ONLINE This site provides tools to assist in navigating and understanding the
Canadian and U.S. economies.
sbbc.co/cibcpubs

ROYAL BANK: ECONOMICS RBC Financial Group economists review each day's Canadian and U.S. data
releases and preview upcoming economic reports.
sbbc.co/rbcpubs

SCOTIABANK: ECONOMICS Reports prepared by the Scotia Economics team covering a wide range of
topical issues pertaining to the North American and Global economies.
PUBLICATIONS
sbbc.co/scotiapubs

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Small Business BC | Tel: 604-775-5525 | 1-800-667-2272 | Email: askus@smallbusinessbc.ca | Web: smallbusinessbc.ca

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DIRECTORIES
ESOURCECANADA.COM Canada's business-to-business online buyers' guide and industrial directory
with e-commerce features and services.
www.esourcecanada.com

FRASER'S CANADIAN Fraser's is a directory of Canadian Industrial Products. Search by product

name, company name, or brand name.
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS
DIRECTORY
www.frasers.com

CANADIAN TRADE INDEX A directory of fifty thousand products from over twenty-five thousand
Canadian manufacturers and distributors. Search by product, company, trade
www.ctidirectory.com mark or brand name.
CANADIAN COMPANY Use Canadian Company Capabilities to find comprehensive contact
information, sales, SIC code, year established, export information, company
CAPABILITIES
profile, and more.
sbbc.co/companycapabilities

YELLOW PAGE GROUP Search company listings in British Columbia. Search by business category,
company name or geographic region. Great for obtaining a list of almost any
www.yellowpages.ca type of company.

SCOTTS DIRECTORIES Scott's contains over 115,000 companies, and over 210,000 executive
contacts. Includes manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, sales agents,
scottsinfo.com and business services. Free search, but a charge for company profiles.

BC GOVERNMENT DIRECTORY This web site provides you with a BC database of provincial government
organizational information, including the Premier's office, ministries, crown
dir.gov.bc.ca corporations, public agencies and their employees.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
TRADE DATA ONLINE Did imports of bicycles into Canada increase significantly over the last five
years? Import/export data reflects changing consumer patterns.
sbbc.co/tradedataonline

STATISTICAL AGENCIES Find statistics on countries around the world using this comprehensive list of
International statistical agencies. (World counterpart to Statistics Canada)

sbbc.co/unitednationsstats

TRADE EVENTS CALENDAR This website provides a listing of international trade events throughout the
world.
10times.com

TRADEMAP Provides on-line access to the worlds largest trade database and presents
indicators on export performance, international demand, alternative markets,
trademap.org and the role of competitors from both the product and country perspective.

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Small Business BC | Tel: 604-775-5525 | 1-800-667-2272 | Email: askus@smallbusinessbc.ca | Web: smallbusinessbc.ca

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CIA WORLD FACTBOOK This website provides access to extensive profiles of countries including
economic, geographic and political information and statistics.
sbbc.co/worldfacts

CANADIAN IMPORTERS A database of firms that import products into Canada. Search by product or
by city or country.
DATABASE
sbbc.co/importersdb

CANADA BUSINESS IMPORTING Canada Business is your gateway to a comprehensive range of resources
designed to help both new and experienced importers with every stage of the
INFORMATION
import process.
sbbc.co/CBNimporting

CANADA BUSINESS EXPORTING Canada Business has an online resource for export information. Canada
Business works with provinces and territories and other partners to help
INFORMATION
Canadian businesses export.
sbbc.co/CBNexporting

DONT KNOW WHERE TO START? READY FOR THE NEXT STEP?

MARKET RESEARCH FOR YOUR MARKET RESEARCH ADVISORY

BUSINESS SERVICE
These two seminars explore the tools used Have an advisor lead you through how
$119 to research your industry and identify your $59 to gather market data relevant to your
business research needs.
key market segments.
PLUS TAXES PER HOUR
Discusses research methods, how to design
PLUS TAXES
& conduct surveys, online survey tools and
use of primary/secondary data..

CONTACT CLIENT SERVICES

604-775-5525 | 1-800-667-2272 | askus@smallbusinessbc.ca
All clients are advised to reconfirm information from the official departments from the necessary government agencies both in Canada and abroad. Small Business BC
accepts no liability or responsibility for any acts or errors, omissions, misuse, and/or misinterpretation resulting from reliance, in whole or in part, on information provided.

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Small Business BC | Tel: 604-775-5525 | 1-800-667-2272 | Email: askus@smallbusinessbc.ca | Web: smallbusinessbc.ca

03/2016